Author: admin

You just never know what you are going to find beneath the waves, which scientists at NOAA discovered in April this year.

The USS Yorktown was lost in WWII’s Battle of Midway in 1942. The vessel sustained multiple bomb and torpedo hits in early June 1942, but, after taking on a heavy list, she did not sink. A salvage crew returned to try and right her for a tow back to Pearl Harbor, but a Japanese submarine attacked on June 6, damaging her further, and Yorktown slipped below the surface the next morning.

Interestingly, on a detailed survey of the wreck in April 2025, NOAA’s ROV crew spotted a car on the forward starboard side of the Yorktown, with curved fenders, a mostly shredded soft-top, and spare tire. The best guess is that the car is a 1940-41 Ford Super Deluxe Woody.

Full article and photos at: The Maritime Executive 21apr25

Using an ROV to dam inspections can be a safe and efficient solution to minimize power station downtime.

Full article at: The Press NZ 21apr25

In March 2025, French Navy’s Expert Centre for Human Diving and Underwater Intervention (CEPHIMSER) located a wreck at a depth of ~2,500m (8,421ft) using a combination of AUV and ROV.

The wreck has since been names Camarat 4 because of its location to Cap Camarat on the French Riveria. It is likely a 16th century merchant ship carrying ceramics and other cargo.

Full article and photos at Earth.com 22aug25

After losing their first AUV, the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust (FMHT) launched a second quest for Shackleton’s Endurance using a “wired” AUV. The vehicle was tethered to their research vessel, equipped with sidescan and multibeam sonars, as well as laser scanning and a 3D photogrammetry system.

The Endurance sank on 21 November 1915, after being trapped in thick sea ice in January 1915 and gradually crushed by shifting sea ice. Shackleton and his crew survived an epic 1,300km voyage trek across the ice in small wooden lifeboats.

Endurance was found at a depth of 3,000m (10,000ft) in March 2022

Full article with photos and video at: Hydro International 20mar25 and BBC.com 09mar2022